Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson contested former Congressman Elizaldy Co’s claim that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. instructed him to insert ₱100 billion in projects, claiming it was Palace personnel who did so in Marcos’ name.

“‘Yung statement na ginawa ni ex-Congressman Zaldy Co, ano, na nagbintang siya na ₱100 billion, sinasabi niya na utos daw ng Pangulo na isingit sa bicam. Your Honor and I… went through the list independently. And you and I agree na totoo ‘yung listahan ng ₱100 billion. Talagang nasingit sa bicam,” Lacson confirmed the insertion.

“But, ‘yung sinasabi ni Zaldy Co on social media, as posted, na nag-deliver siya ng ₱25 billion, representing the 25 percent commission diumano para kay Presidente—that, I will attest na hindi totoo. ‘Yun talaga absolutely, untrue or completely false,” Lacson said before the Senate on Tuesday.

The lawmaker said that on Sunday, he received a call from former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Undersecretary Roberto Bernardo regarding Co’s video statements.

“Napag-alaman ko from Undersecretary Bernardo na may mga tao sa Malacañang—not the President, not authorized by the President—who misrepresented him,” he said.

He disclosed that resigned Presidential Legislative Liaison Office Undersecretary Adrian Bersamin had “name-dropped” Marcos in his dealings with Co, leading the latter to believe he was receiving orders from the chief executive himself. Department of Education (DepEd) Undersecretary Trygve Olaivar was among those responsible for the hoax.

On Friday, Co released a video wherein he alleged that Marcos had ordered him to make an insertion of ₱100 billion in projects during the 2025 bicameral conference in 2024. In another video, he said Marcos had gotten ₱25 billion in kickbacks from the said insertions.